


I Spy A Neil

by howmanyshipscanashippership



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: AFTG Reverse Big Bang, Gen, M/M, POV Alternating, spy AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-24
Updated: 2019-03-24
Packaged: 2019-12-07 04:31:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,747
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18229934
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/howmanyshipscanashippership/pseuds/howmanyshipscanashippership
Summary: Nathaniel knew that the short string of life fate had given him was running out. Throughout all of Nathaniel’s childhood, he’d had no future- there had been only survive now and think later. After over 8 years of assassin and spy training (and field experience,) this new job was sure to kill him. No one successfully infiltrated the Fuchs Kingdom and left alive.-----Andrew knew that something was amiss in the castle. There was definitely something happening that had the possibility of being not very good. He had been wondering about what could be going on for a while now...





	1. Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This is my Reverse Big Bang fic, the prompt was "Kevin is a prince, and Andrew is his bodyguard. Neil is both a spy and an assassin (depending on what the Moriyamas need him to be). He is sent to Kevin's palace as a spy. By day he is the slightly clumsy new servant boy (who Andrew may or may not start crushing on) and by night he is the dangerous intruder who is a constant pain in Andrew's ass." 
> 
> Ilheji is an awesome artist (the art you see here is their's)  
> Lilly is the wonderful person who went through and beta'd this, it was such a mess.  
> Any and all mistakes still here are all my fault.
> 
> So hope you like it!

 

Nathaniel knew that the short string of life fate had given him was running out. Throughout all of Nathaniel’s childhood, he’d had no future- there had been only survive now and think later. When Shukensha Kengo had found out about Nathaniel, he had taken him and had Nathaniel trained... trained to be an assassin,  a spy,and a fighter. Someone Shukensha Kengo could use to help blackmail negotiate with the other rulers and unruly subjects. After over 8 years of training and field experience, this new job was sure to kill him. No one successfully infiltrated the Fuchs Kingdom and left alive.

Nathaniel knew he would never be free. Never free from the constraints that the Shukensha had set. _“You shall always answer to me. You shall never turn your back on the Moriyama House. You are but an object. My word is final to no others. ”_  Never would he be able to choose anything for himself, not without risking _everything_. The rules could be interpreted in any way that Shukensha wanted.

If his mother hadn’t married the Macello* then Nathaniel might have been free, but she had and he was not. There had once been a possibility of running to Uncle Stuart but when Nathaniel was captured and Mary was killed that possibility ended. As Stuart had said, they should have gone straight to his Territories.

The past could not be changed though. And now Nathaniel was going to meet his eventual death. Kengo was sending Nathaniel to see if the Fuchs Kingdom would be a problem, and if they were a problem then, well those problems would be problems no more. Nathaniel was certain that there was at least one problem. Andrew Minyard.

Minyard was, for the most part, a mystery. No one knew where he, his twin Aaron, and cousin Nicky had come from. One day the men had shown up in reports on the Fuchs Court with Andrew being one of Prince Kevin’s personal bodyguards. It was like they appeared out of thin air, with no backstory to dig up. Another one of the things Nathaniel would have to figure out in the Kingdom.

As he approached the border of Fuchs, Nathaniel changed his mindset to ‘Neil Josten.’ Neil was 19, shy, quiet, and for all purposes as invisible as possible. He was to work in the kitchen under the supervision of the Chef Matthew Boyd.

Boyd was a tall, ex-addict, who could hold his own in a fight. Reports said that he was outgoing and kind, he was Head Chef because the King, Wymack had all but adopted him into his Court.

 

/*/*/*/

When _Neil_ got to the castle, he found it a lot quieter than Castle Nevermore, the Moriyama’s palace. The ceiling was high and domed in the entry hall. With a red carpet covering the stone floor. Dannielle Wilds met him at the door.

“Hello! Neil Josten, right? We have been waiting for you, welcome to the Fuchs Kingdom. You are here to help in the kitchen are you not? We got your letter, let me show you where you are staying. I’m Dan, the Head of Staff.”

Neil was lead to his new rooms which were cramped but looked much better than places he had stayed in before. Not that he would be in the rooms much, what with having to dig into everyone’s business and spy. There was a door with a standard servent lock. An easy one to pick but still. Those in higher positions most likely had better locks and guards but at least it would be easy to sneak out.

Dan told Neil to leave his things in his rooms. While this almost pained him, Neil needed to keep this job because it was the easiest, most efficient way to get into the castle every night.

The kitchen was large and Neil was surprised to find it less busy than he would have guessed. When Neil was memorizing information for this job, the report failed to say how _extremely tall_ Boyd was. Neil was easily the shortest there and while that was normally the case, every possible disadvantage could be a matter of life or death, but only if he was sloppy. Which _would not-could not_ -happen.

“Matt Boyd, Head of Kitchen. You must be Neil. Welcome, It’ll be nice to have some extra hands around here. As you can see we don’t have many.” That was an understatement but Neil had to pretend to be impressed even though in the few times he had been in the Nevermore kitchen there were almost twice the people working on the same job than in the entire Fuchs room. Now that Neil had arrived had four workers; himself, Nicky Hemmick (the cousin who had appeared out of thin air), Matt Boyd, as he called himself, and Betsy Dobson, the baker.

“I know it doesn’t look like much but most of our staff are scared off by the tiny, blond midget. Please stay!  Andrew’s not that bad if you don’t push him, endanger the family including Nicky over there, or touch him. And don’t say ‘please’, it is for some reason a word that he can’t listen to without making a threat. No one knows why. Now could you cut the vegetables that are over there for the soup that we are making for dinner? Then help Nicky over there with the dishes.”

Neil could have diced almost anything in his sleep so _carrots_ and _celery_ were almost hilariously easy, though the skill in cutting things had been drilled, or rather cut into him, in both a literal and figurative way. If Matt had noticed that each piece of vegetable was cut perfectly, he didn’t say anything.

Nicky was almost done with washing the dishes that there had been so Neil set to drying. Neil was trying to figure out where to put the dry ones when Nicky came up behind him. He grabbed Neil’s shoulders and whispered in his ear, “I’ll show you where to put those.” Neil flinched at the touch. No touch was ever good, at least towards Neil. If dinner was done,would it be wrong to go and ‘rest’ for the night, after all, Neil had just traveled a long way.

 

/*/*/

 

He swept through the hallways of Fuchs Castle like a wind, almost like he wasn’t even there. Not that Nathaniel would ever recommend it but maybe there was something to say about the Moriyama’s teaching methods. Nathaniel had learned to do it well, fast, and leave no evidence, otherwise there were harsh consequences.

Yeah, not the best way. Not even legal with the Five Alliance Pact not that it mattered to Riko.

 

Riko Moriyama was in charge of training the Shukensha’s Men. He was a stone-cold bastard with a lust for revenge on his older brother Ichirou.  The Second Son of the Moriyama line was never in line for the throne, even if both the Shukensha and the Uji died. Then the line would go to The Butcher. Nathan Wesninski.

 

Riko had a not-so-secret alliance with The Butcher. Nathan had let Tetsuji, Riko’s Uncle, train Nathaniel. There wasn’t any joy before Nathaniel had run, but after? Well, after Nathaniel and his mother had run, Nathan had disowned Nathaniel. After Nathaniel had been captured, and Mary killed, Nathaniel was taken back to Castle Nevermore and it made the training from a few years before look like heaven.

 

It had already been a few weeks that ‘Neil Josten’ was in the castle. A few weeks of watching for guard changes, amassing information that wasn’t in his brief, and trying to gain some trust.

 

So now as Nathaniel swept through the Castle. He was a shadow, ghosting up to the floor Kevin and his protectors were. There were guards prowling the hallways. Well, that was expected. ‘This is still easier than I thought it would be…’ Nathaniel thought.

 

It was almost on cue that things started going to hell. There was a whistle and the guards all turned around and started walking away. More filed in.

“Oh shit,” he breathed. Nathaniel started to back toward a window. Oh shit, oh shit, oh _shit_. He was caught up in a trap.

 

* * *

 

 

Andrew Minyard watched from the shadows as a small wisp of a boy came through the door.

“Hello! Neil Josten, right?” _No, Dan, it’s a random stranger that matches the profile he sent._ “We have been waiting for you, welcome to the Fuchs Kingdom. You are here to help in the kitchen are you not? We got your letter, let me show you where you are staying. I’m Dan, the Head of Staff.”

He contemplated coming out of the shadows and trying to break his record of 3 bells.

Ah, those were the days before Prince Kevin started throwing hissy fits when he realized that Andrew was purposely scaring away the kitchen help. It was just so fun. Well, as fun as Andrew let himself have.

Though who knows, maybe this one would actually be a threat. To his sanity. He wanted nothing. Because wanting anything never worked out well. Like a mother.  

But Nicky had worked out well. And kind of Aaron... It was _almost_ funny how this all happened.

Andrew had just been trying to get some extra coins to buy his new family more dinner than the minimum. Of course, he had a little practice. But not enough to not get caught.

He’d  been caught by the Crown-fucking-Prince, Kevin. If it had been any other person, Andrew would have been in major trouble. Even if they were so drunk they could barely talk in coherent sentences.

Really it was all Aaron’s and Nicky’s fault. It wasn’t fair to guilt your cousin and brother with an empty stomach with ribs almost sticking out. Aaron and Nicky were already on hard times trying to make money because no one wanted to take in and pay two young men. Young men were not often trusted on the streets and back alleys. When they found Andrew and saw that he was Aaron’s twin( _What a coincidence!!!)._ Nicky took him in. And with another mouth to feed, things just got harder for them.

So he stooped, lower than Andrew had before, which was saying something - he’d been living on the street for years after all- and started pickpocketing. It had been a good night outside of the tavern Nicky worked at, _Eden’s Twilight_ , until one too-aware man caught him.

“Thief,” the man said. He stared at Andrew and then threw a silver piece to him. _Who in the world has enough money to hand it out to random strangers who try and steal from them?_ He had thought.

“Why?”

“It looks like you need it more than I do.”

“No.” Andrew had curled up his lip. He would not be indebted to the man. So he said as much aloud.

“Take it. And when you are out and feel up for a job you can come to the palace and ask for Prince Kevin. Then you should bring your family if you have them, the palace almost always has jobs open but not enough people apply.” _Fuck_. Andrew had thought. _The man he had just tried to steal from was the prince._

So eventually out of the _kindness_ (ha!) of Andrew’s heart, he got Nicky and Aaron jobs at the Castle. One thing Andrew _hated_ was being indebted to people, though people being indebted to him was alright. As long as that person kept their promise. He and his family each got three meals a day, a bed, and fresh clothes. What else could they ask for?  

But back to the little-redheaded boy. There was a multitude of problems with him. One, his clothes. Just because you are dirt poor doesn’t mean that you have to buy your clothes at least _two_ sizes too big.

Two, his hair and eyes. They were pretty - and that was not allowed. Nope. If Andrew were a different person he might have tried to talk to Neil with the hope of it ending in something a bit more than a conversation. Andrew wasn’t that kind of person though, and he avoided all conversations and contact to the best of his abilities. Nicky _was_ that kind of person. When his disaster of a cousin tried to come onto Neil, it took a minute for him to realize. Neil flinched back so hard. It looked like there was a story there. Neil might be interesting.

And three, there was a story behind Neil and Andrew was determined to figure out what it was.

 

/*/*/*/

Andrew knew that something was amiss in the castle. There was definitely _something_ happening that had the possibility of being not very good. He had been wondering about what could be going on for a while now. While spying on the new Cute Kitchen Boy making sure Nicky was safe in the Kitchen. The Cute Kitchen Boy had something off about him.

A few days later, Andrew noticed that Neil was becoming more confident in the kitchen. Meaning, Neil was being a mouthy little shit.

Matt had just told him to go and find some parsley and onions for soup when Neil just, turned on him and said, “No offense Matt but can you make anything other than soup? You could make pot pies? Is that not close enough? Or you could make pasta? Why. Is. It. Always. Soup? I thought this was a castle. I mean, you are the best, you are nice and never hurt anyone and you are sometimes a bit too much of a Momma Bear but, the soup? It kills.”

Andrew saw when Neil realized what he had just said, saw him cringe away and brace for pain. Really the boy was an idiot to both say that and to think that Matt, of all people, would hit him. There was a pot pie for dinner that night, which was a small step up from soup as it was basically soup in a pie crust, but it was different.  

Andrew still couldn't figure out what was wrong even with the anything-but-soup in his stomach. Which was totally not fair because protecting Kevin is all that makes Andrew stay here, keeping his brother and cousin safe and with a job. And Andrew staying was the only thing keeping the Prince from being a complete pushover and giving out jobs to homeless strangers. How could that ever go wrong?

Whatever was happening, the person knew what they were doing. It wasn’t a thief because if not for Andrew’s perfect memory, no one would have noticed that anything was out of place. Because nothing was stolen. There could be an assassin but there were so many chances the person could have taken and fled before anyone noticed. So what else was left?

Spies.

Eventually, when it was noticed that the spy had not left, the Personal Guards set a trap.  The plan was to corner the spy against the top floor hallway. That way Andrew could either capture them or they would jump and either kill themselves or be obviously injured. Oh, why had Andrew wished things were less boring?

‘That new kitchen boy was distracting enough. With his auburn hair, and beautiful blue, blue eyes.’ He thinks as they’re waiting. ‘No. Bad brain. This is _not_ the time or place for this. ‘

After the stakeout, Andrew would take Nicky, Aaron, Kevin, and the kitchen boy out to Colombia. Because scaring people was fun. Especially the cute ones. Drinking his weight sounded nice too.

As Andrew was planning how to break the Cute Kitchen Boy the signal went off, a shrill whistle. Well, that was a way to change his way of thoughts. The spy caught on to the trap much earlier than Andrew and the other guards intended. Soon they had him cornered at the window. The spy had the body language of a caged rabbit. It would be much better for everyone involved if the spy would surrender.

The idiot looked like they would jump out of the window any moment now. “We can keep you safe from whoever hired you if you just give up now. I promise.”

For a second it looked like they had the spy convinced. Then he jumped out the window. Idiot rabbit.

 

* * *

 

“We can keep you safe from whoever hired you if you just give up now. I promise.”  Oh how Nathaniel wanted that, but he knew that the ‘promise’ would not be upheld. Nathaniel was trapped, with his back against the window seven stories above the ground. So he did the only reasonable thing… jump out the window.

Now those 8 years of training were coming in handy. Nathaniel fell for long enough for it to look like he was almost on the ground before he started shifting his weight. It took more effort than it would have before he left Castle Nevermore but he maneuvered his body out of the column of air Nathaniel  created and threw himself onto one of the Fuchs Towers.

Foolish of Minyard to not have thought to have guards waiting on the ground, did he really think that he could convince ‘the spy’ to surrender himself? Naïve mistake. Before anyone could notice Nathaniel slipped through a window and escaped to his room.

As Nathaniel was washing off, he thought about Minyard’s promise. Really? No one could keep Nathaniel safe from the Moriyama. No one could keep Kevin safe if they decided to kill him either. For the Personal Guard from No-Where with Many Family Members to Protect to promise that was amusing. Almost… Promises were not to be given and thrown around lightly. If you promise something - you must mean it.

Nathaniel got dressed in a calm, almost smug-but-not-quite mood- It took skill to fall out a 7 story window and to throw yourself onto a tower and not get any bruises-or at least he was until there was a knock.  Fuck.

“Oh Neil,” Nathaniel heard Nicky singsong. “We have the rest of the night off but would you like to go get some drinks with us?”

“Nicky, I’m super tired. What about on our next night off?”  Nathaniel said, trying to bluff his way out. He did not drink. Nor lose control. Nathaniel had no wanted to do anything like that unless it was forced upon him by Riko and really, Nicky was too talkative for Nathaniel.

“Neil, You’re new here, and you probably do not know how this works but when Andrew, and by extension me, invite you out to drink, you don’t have that much of a choice.”

…...Fuck. What did Andrew think he knew? Nathaniel knew that there was no way that Minyard knew Nathaniel was the spy. He would probably be dead then or at least imprisoned.  He had one last ditch effort because refusing to go would either lead Nathaniel to being kicked out, or high up on a suspect list. Neither of which he wanted. “Where would we be going? If it is anywhere outside of the castle I don’t really have suitable clothes.” Here. Unless you want me to go to Nevermore?

Nicky audibly scoffed, “ _Really!_ Neil you don’t have good clothes for a tavern? I would have never guessed. Your at least two sizes too big, worn shirts would have never given that impression. Or your hair. The colour is beautiful but, really? That cut? Never fear, Nicky is here! I brought you clothes.” Joy. Why did Nicky have to be so bright all the time?  It was frustrating. “I’m going to hand the bag in now, hope you don’t mind!”

Seeing the clothes Nicky had brought _Neil_ , this was not going to be a fun night. One, who even wore clothes this tight? The shirt was long-sleeved, for which he thanked  goodness, and black except there were holes on the sleeves and sides which were covered in dark grey, only slightly see-through mesh. At least all of his scars and new, very suspicious bruises were covered. Not as outrageous of a shirt Nathaniel had worn when he was shown off as Riko’s “Prize Spy.” The pants were also _way_ tighter than Nathaniel would have ever worn. Though, like the shirt, just loose enough to not be painted on. Not like that was saying much.

Changed and ready, Nathaniel became Neil and walked out to his death.


	2. Part 2

_Holy fucking Death,_ was Andrew’s first thought after Neil walked out of his room. Andrew was so dead. His second thought was to make sure his mouth was shut… Unlike Nicky, who was openly salivating. Oh, what decent clothes could do for a person. He was not preening even though Andrew had picked out the clothes.  If Andrew was not so stunned at what Neil looked like in clothes that actually fit, he would have taken some pleasure at how uncomfortable Neil looked.

The rabbit looked like he wanted to crawl out of his own skin. He also did not look that tired enough for someone to try to get out of free drinks. Did Neil not drink? That would be unfortunate because he most certainly did not have a choice today.

“Nice clothes, Rabbit. Your usual clothes must mask your fashion sense so well. Where were you hiding them?”

“In my purse because I have so much money. As you can tell, by my clothes.” Oh, so the rabbit has a mouth on him.

“Maybe you should start saving some money for real clothes instead of buying books.” Not that Andrew never does that. Even though the new copy of _The League of Magicians_ open on Neil’s bed stand looked incredibly like something Andrew would read. Andrew scolded himself. He would just have to go buy it himself tomorrow when he was free.

Hypocrisy?-He didn’t know him.

“What fun would that be? It is much more fun to read your own books and keep them on hand if you have to throw them at an annoying blonde.” Someone was nervous. Did Neil forget who he was talking too? At the look of horror on Neil’s face, it seemed like he had.

Nicky jumped in before any blood could be shed. “With a body like that, you must have a girlfriend.” Did Nicky really think that would calm the two of them down? Nonetheless, Andrew was interested in that answer. At Neil’s look of confusion, Nicky continued, “Unless you swing my way of course?”

“I don’t swing.”

“Everyone swings,” Nicky said disbelievingly. The over-eager man started rambling on about his Erik and how in love he was. Because Erik was coming to the castle in a quarter, Andrew just _could not_ wait for that. It would be so fun. Done with the conversation and fed up with talking of swinging he butted into his cousin’s monologue and warned, “Nicky, go find Kevin…”

If Neil did not know to be worried already, the speed in which Nicky ran off to go get Kevin was concerning.

“So kind of you, Neil, to come and join us.”

Andrew saw him grimace. “I am sure it will be so _fun_ …”

Oh boy, you have no idea.

Later, Andrew gave an ultimatum to Neil: Drink and answer or Leave.

“I don’t drink. Please, I can’t go, this is the one place I am _safe._ ”

Please, Andrew scoffed, Please was meaningless. “I don’t like that word.” Maybe Neil did have some intelligence, the drink was spiked.

Gods damn it, Andrew was so done with the day. All he wanted to do was to have nine hours of sleep, spar, and eat non-soup. Was that too much to freaking ask? It looked like Andrew might get at least six hours of sleep in because the idiot Neil went and got himself knocked out. Bad things can happen in dark bars with drunk, strong men. Not that Andrew had ever had trouble with that. Not that when Andrew was seven he was kidnapped by Drake. Not that he was raped for years until he ran away to another country.

“Nicky, give him to me. We’ll just have this talk in the morning.” The boy was much lighter than he should have been. Andrew would have to tell Matt to make Neil eat more. Can’t have the New Idiot Kitchen Boy die of starvation before Andrew could save/help/kiss break him, could he?

 

* * *

 

 

 _Damn it!_ Nathaniel mentally cursed in every language he knew. Andrew fucking Minyard pretty much forced Neil to drink a drugged drink. _No, almost forced_ , a voice in the back of his mind whispered, _you know what it is like to be forced without an out_. To have to do whatever or face a fate worse than death. Neil had spent so long running that sometimes he wondered if death would just be easier. If it would be easier to give up, he would never escape- Minyard protect him from the Moriyamas? That was funny, especially if that ‘protection’ was drugging another.

Deciding to have an existential crisis later, Nathaniel took in his surroundings. He could easily escape the binds which Andrew had put him in, but that would mean blowing his cover. Something that Nathaniel could not do, so he would worm his way out of trouble as Neil Josten. It would be slower but would probably keep Nathaniel- no Neil from killing Andrew. _Neil_ was so pissed about that.

A voice drawled-Andrew. “So it looks like our little Runaway is finally awake. That is what you are, aren't you? If not, feel free to correct me. Now I have some questions for you.”

* * *

 

“So it looks like our little Runaway is finally awake.  That is what you are aren't you?, If not, feel free to correct me. Now I have some questions for you.” _Many, many questions_ ,Andrew thought. What to ask first. “Let’s start with why you are here.”

Andrew watched as Neil opened his eyes, with panic clearly clouding his ice blue eyes, the boy started tapping his foot nervously, his eyes darting, looking for all the exits… of which there were none, Andrew had made sure of it after the whole spy fiasco.

 

* * *

 

 

The question woke Neil up. He needed to run, he needed to get out of the bonds. He felt the need to lash out and harm those near him. Nathaniel had been through this kind of questioning before and it never ended well.  He was defenseless and couldn’t fight without giving away that he could be a threat.

Getting out of the castle, with his reports stopping, would mean signing his death warrant. Nathaniel had to get out of the bonds. He started seeing Riko in the place of Minyard. Riko with his knives, with his sharp smiles and even smarter orders. There was nothing he would not do in order to get his way. Minyard had knives, Riko had knives. Minyard had a soul, Riko did not.

Maybe that was why Nathaniel forced his panic down, forced himself to stop struggling, and slipped into Neil’s persona which he had come to love.

“Who says I’m a runaway?” Neil finally decided to say. “What if I just want a job where I am safe? Or was… What if I just like having three meals a day without fail, what if I like being able to breathe without being hurt?” Wow, the drugs were definitely still active in Neil’s system- why else would he be emoting to a strange, mean, midget blonde? Neil added without pause, “Or what if I am secretly a suitor to Prince Kevin set on seducing him with food that is not soup?”  

  
  


* * *

“Or what if I am secretly a suitor to Prince Kevin set on seducing him with food that is not soup?” The strange, red-haired, sharp-tongued demon said. He didn’t swing anyway. It was creative and Andrew had to stifle a laugh. Laughing would totally ruin the _Surly, Tough Guy, Andrew Minyard_ aesthetic. Now that was a creative way to try to off cast what the drugs had forced out off him. Andrew had tested them himself, they were non-addictive and did not permanently harm the person who took them. They were also non-lethal Andrew did not hope they would be when he first found out about them. Giving potentially poisonous drugs to his charges would be a bad idea. He would not be like them.

“Neil, Neil, Neil, you should know that it is not nice to lie to people. You and I both know that you didn’t come to _seduce_ Kevin, you said it yourself- you don’t swing. So let me try this again, Who are you and Why. Are. You. Here? And cut the bluffing bullshit.”

“I told you, asshole! If you don’t believe me then leave it alone and ask me another question. I was not lying, I didn’t even mean to say that stuff, so quit it. The drugs you gave me forced it out. Untie me and I maybe I will ‘cut the bluffing bullshit.’”

 

After saying this, Neil goes completely blank. He is panicking again and the panic the boy had suppressed earlier had risen up in a stronger form. One that needed to be felt. The boy starts to hyperventilate and goes limp, bracing for pain.  

Andrew knows how it feels to be defenseless, to have no power, to know that someone could do whatever they want to you because no one will come running. “I will untie you.” He says trying to calm Neil down. Not working Andrew pours water on the shaking boy. It seems to start to break through, “But there is no maybe. You will stop bullshitting. You will not touch me, and you will not try to leave. You do any one of those things and you leave this castle because you have broken a promise. I take promises very seriously. If you really need to feel as though you have some power you may ask a question and I will answer truthfully after you do the same to mine. I am going to untie your hands now. Then I will step back. And we will begin our game of truths.”

 

* * *

 

It took Nathaniel a minute to be pushed back down, pushing the personality away, the water on his tight nightclub clothes grounding.

Neil takes back over his body. It is his now, Nathaniel and Neil are both the same person and different. Nathaniel is who he is to survive. Neil is what he wants his life to be. Nathaniel is still fighting to take over Neil’s body. Trying to get Neil to run, to escape, to fight back Neil knows that there are still drugs in his system, he has bruises from falling off of a tower, he would lose. Minyard offered a deal, a trade of sorts.

Andrew had offered a deal which was one that would keep Neil safe and he would be an idiot not to take it, as long as Andrew honoured it. Andrew takes care to not touch Neil. He must know how it feels to be touched when you don’t want it when you are most vulnerable. He knows how it feels to shy away at touch because it is instinct for touch to lead to pain and mistakes to lead to wishing you were dead. He knows.

 

* * *

 

 

Andrew knows not to touch Neil right now, he has felt what he sees Neil going through before. Recognizes the signs of a panic attack, knows that Neil feels like he will break if Andrew touches him. He herds the Runaway over to the couch, knowing that there will be no questions answered if Neil doesn’t calm down. answered or asked before he calms down.

When Neil sits down, Andrew goes to call another castle guard to get them some food, water, and clean, loose, warm clothes. He had come up to the room they were in on a high floor with no windows as soon as Neil decided to aggravate someone enough to knock him out after they had slipped some drugs into his drink. Andrew was tired. But protecting Kevin and his family would have to come first. The things he had asked for came up quickly, because Andrew’s short temper and almost immunity were well known. Apparently not well known enough to keep them from sending Allison, who was a designer and in charge of this residential part of the castle. Andrew disliked her more than most people, which was saying quite a bit.

The smell of food must have started to snap Neil out of his panic, which was odd though at the same time not, as warm, good food was somewhat of a rarity everywhere except castles and nobles’ houses. Then the still clothes, still warm from the sunhouse, that Andrew threw at Neil shook him out of his trance.

“My first question is,” Andrew began to ask if Neil had really been telling the truth when he had said that he was safest here. At the last second, Andrew’s tratorious mouth asked, “Why did me offering the deal make the panic you were saving for later come up?”

* * *

 

 

Neil froze. He was trying to decide if this information he would give would get him killed either by the Moriyamas or Minyard.

“The…place I was at before I came here, the man’s son. The man wouldn’t stop him from hurting me. It was the only place I had where I could have food and clothes. I’d been there for years, since I was 10. He would give me a choice, sometimes, one or the other- break a finger or a toe, between a cut on my arm or my leg or chest. Once or twice, when I was younger, he let me try to run away. It did not work.”

The panic started to lessen, Neil eating, trading truths with Andrew until the dawn and they both had to go sleep until they were needed for their duties. This continues for some time. They ask questions, some trivial some serious while the back of Neil’s mind whispered not to get attached, knowing he would have to betray Andrew. Have to betray Matt and Nicky, people who had welcomed him. His next report was coming up. He had stopped spying sometime after they started their truth game. Would the next few span be worth the cost of his life? A small period of freedom, of being with friends, of actually living?

Yes, Neil had decided.


	3. Part 3

After Andrew and Neil started to trust each other, Andrew stopped watching over the kitchen, for the most part, and the spy had mysteriously disappeared when they had jumped out of the window. Maybe they had run away. As they continued to talk each other, Andrew noticed that he was letting Neil in.

He noticed himself staring at how the moonlight would shine through Neil’s crazy, auburn hair, watched the glint that Neil would sometimes get in his eyes when he was passionate about what they were talking about. He was surprisingly invested in sparring and jousting. However, what Andrew stared at the most was Neil’s lips.

But nothing would ever happen, because Neil had said it himself- he did not swing. At first Andrew did not believe him, because to his knowledge, everyone swung. How could someone not? Then Andrew had watched Neil never look at anyone with a kind of intent that showed he was attracted to them, he watched as Neil was oblivious to people trying to get him to come on a date with him. It took a lot for him to notice that Allison was trying and Matt had tried ( Neil didn’t notice that one ever).

Neil was such an idiot, but even so there were some days that Andrew wanted so badly to kiss Neil but he knew he never would. Not without explicit consent. Which Neil would never give because he did not swing. Once in a while, Andrew would catch Neil looking at him like he looked at Neil, but it was just Andrew’s mind psyching himself.

Andrew had pushed the want out of his mind. Then one day after dinner while Andrew was watching the kitchen from the shadows, Neil asked a question. At first Andrew thought it was directed at him but the runaway was asking Nicky and Matt.

“Soooooooo, howdoyouknowthatyoulikesomeone?” Andrew just managed to keep his reaction in, unlike Nicky, who almost cut his finger off, squealed and started jumping up and down like an overeager puppy and Matt whose mouth fell open before tackling Neil with a hug.

Nicky immediately pestered Neil while Matt started giving Neil the answers he wanted. Neil really should have known not to ask what a crush was with Nicky in the room

Andrew was wondering: _who do you think you like. Do I have to give them the shovel talk? Or can I just use a shovel to make them shut up..._

“It’s different for everyone,” Matt began. “But it is thinking about the other person a lot, wanting to be with them continuously, noticing more things about them than you had before, being happier when you see them, want to smile, being nervous around them, and wanting to be more than just friends. Why do you ask?” Previously, Andrew had noticed that when things got too close for comfort, Neil would start to shut down so of course Neil would shut down and Andrew would not get the answers. Even though that was cheating Andrew could not ask because then Neil would know that he had been spying on him.

Neil ran out the door and Andrew found him on the roof. “I saw you in the kitchen,” Neil said as Andrew climbed out. Maybe he hadn’t been as sneaky as Andrew thought he had.

“I hate you.”

Neil rolled his eyes, “The more you say that, the less I believe it.”

“Who do you think you like?”

“Is that your question? Because if I’m remembering correctly, it is my turn.”

“So ask your question.”

“I have to think up a good one first.” Andrew gave Neil one of his patented flat stares. He knew Neil was stalling.

“Fine, who do you like?”

“I _like_ no one.”  It appeared that Neil had learned to give Andrew back the stares he gave him. Andrew was not getting out of this so he reached for the flask of alcohol that Andrew kept on the roof. After drinking most of it, he said, “Just because I hate you, doesn’t mean I wouldn’t blow you.”

Neil’s eyes went wide. “You- you _like_ me.” Andrew got up to go inside to go get creamed ice and pastries from Bee. “Wait Andrew, stop! I don’t know how this works. I’ve never felt this before but I’d like to try.”

“Yes or no, Neil?”

“Yes”

Andrew decided to mentally say _to hell with it_ and kissed Neil.

  
  


Andrew was glad he was in the kitchen, coming for some pastries from Bee when the post came.

Neil received a letter, so much for an orphan with no family. He turned chalk white upon seeing the letter. What was in it? Andrew watched as Neil took off running faster than what should have been possible. Going over to Bee, getting some fresh pastries and some warm apple cider Andrew went up to their claimed patch of roof, on the top of the castle. Something that Andrew would never go up to, or do, without someone who he trusted. Neil.

Seeing Neil in a panic stronger than when he had woken up after being drugged and questioned. How situations could twist. Neil should definitely not be on the roof- this high up, in his current state. Andrew went to go grab the letter which was in Neil’s slack hand when Neil flinched and janked his hand away. He would have tumbled off the edge if Andrew had not grabbed him and pulled Neil back.

“I am taking a turn,” Andrew finally said and dropped Neil like he was on fire. “What is going through your head right now?”

The runaway responded almost immediately and quickly said, almost like he hoped Andrew would miss it, “I am thinking that while I haven’t outright lied there are things I should tell you.”

 

* * *

 

Neil knew that this thing he had with Andrew was going to end as soon as he told Andrew that he was the spy. “You know how I told you a while ago about why I came here? That was… as true as I could be, I did not know that I would become attached to here or the people I know. Well that man’s son who had free reign to hurt me and he also trained me. His name is Riko. The name I was originally given was Nathaniel. I do not like being him.

My father sold be to the Moriyamas when I was ten. I had no choice. They just sent a letter demanding a report which I will not give because you and Matt and Nicky and Dan are as close to a family as I will ever have. When they do not receive a report, they will kill me.”

Neil looked to Andrew and saw a war of emotions on his face. When Andrew started talking, what he said surprised Neil, but Andrew never liked to follow others expectations. “Stay. You want to stay. Yes? So fuck them and stay. Give them a report. Make it mostly true. Trick them, and make them pay for all that happened to you and to others. When the time is right, we- Kevin and I- will get you out. It also can never hurt having our own ‘spy’ feeding the Moriyamas bad information.”

 

/*/*/*/

It was so nice not having to hide and lie all the time.

It was also nice to not have to just watch Kevin and Andrew spar. Being able to exhaust himself physically helped to get some of the caged feeling out of Neil’s system. If he went to long without running or sparring Neil would be wired and ready to snap at any small comment or touch. Probably a product of being raised in the Nest and being pushed to his absolute limits for years on end, not being able to stop or take a day off even if he was almost dead. “Cross-training” they called it, cross-training to not die when being tortured? To not pass out when in immense pain?

While working out in his rooms had been adequate enough, it was nothing compared to the rush of adrenaline that came with sparring, with or without swords. Though once in a while, it was fun to watch Andrew spar. When did that start? Since when did he find just watching fun? Neil also could usually tell when someone was _objectively_ attractive but until Andrew… until Andrew he hasn't understood what attractive meant.

Today Neil was handed a wooden sword and Kevin got into a starting position. Neil was never one to turn down a challenge. Keeping a loose, beginner looking stance, he wanted to take Kevin by surprise with his vast sword expertise. As expected when the Prince came at Neil, he came with out full power. That was Kevin’s first mistake.

 

* * *

 

Andrew watched on in… was it amusement? As Neil set Kevin up. Really, the Prince should have known that a _spy_ trained by the _Moriyamas_ would know how to handle a sword. Then Kevin went at Neil with a half-assed swing. Major mistake.

The red-head danced out of the sword’s way at the last second and went on the offensive. From then on, it was a blur of movement.

Kevin’s second mistake was going for higher strikes, thinking since Neil was short this would give him more leverage. It did not. _Kevin_ , Andrew thinks, is also an idiot. Does that _ever_ work against Andrew?

His third, and final for now, mistake was to allow Neil to get on the offensive. Kevin ended up on the ground thirty seconds later. Over all the fight was probably three minutes. Neil-or was he Nathaniel when he fought- was more dangerous than Andrew gave him credit for.

 

* * *

 

  
  
  


Neil was squatting on Andrew’s desk in a dark cloak. Andrew had convinced the guards to not go after the ‘spy’ so that when they do not run again. Prince Kevin, or as Neil liked to mentally call him, Prince Spineless Twat was the only other person who knew that Neil was a spy. No wonder the Moriyamas had sent _Nathaniel_.Without Andrew, Kevin would be a complete pushover. No wonder they thought he was a threat.

Andrew said that he just wanted the Moriyamas down and dead but Neil thought that Andrew did not mean it, Neil _and_ Nathaniel would never run, even if it came down to death.  

The report had to be sent to Kengo by morning light. He was worried that the report would be noticed as a fake. Then, well everyone would die. Of course, there was about a five percent chance that they would not be dead by the time their plan ended. Andrew was helping write it.

“ _Master_ ,” the report read, “ _I hope you forgive my tardiness in sending this letter. I have been busy earning the trust of those who help in the kitchen, as you have always said, ‘those who trust you are often hurt when you turn into a weapon used against them.’ You said before I left to find out what can be used against Minyard. It is almost easy to have Nicholas spill their families secrets._ ” This was one of the parts Neil hated he had to send but there was no way around it. Though Andrew did not have to martyr himself and his secrets. Not the ones that can hurt him, Neil often had to remind himself. “ _Hemmick and the twin, Aaron (the medic) knew each other growing up and had no knowledge of Andrew until one day they saw him walking in Holleburg, where they all grew up. A few months later, on a spur of the moment decision, Minyard brought the cousin and twin to the castle and asked for the Prince._

_There is soon to be a summit where the Five Alliance Countries are meeting to celebrate twenty years of following the treaty and peace. It will be expected that all leaders and royalty come. There will be a tournament, with a favour to the winning country. Master, should I participate?_

_Time has slipped away from me._

_Sincerely, Nathaniel._ ”

/*/*/*/

The castle was continuously getting busier, with the summit coming closer. Rooms were being prepared for the guests, food was being brought in and fancier dishes were being practiced. Then there was the clothes aspect, Neil had always hated being tailored for clothes. Being touched and judged for his scars was not something that he was looking forward to. Allison was known as a dangerous pretentious woman, who if you angered her would be stabbed by the pin she was putting in. There was also the fact that Allison was a gossip, almost worse than the untrained girls at Castle Nevermore. Only better because she did not try to seduce him. Or Kevin or Andrew for that matter. Not that someone trying to kiss Andrew or go out with him would be anything that bothered Neil, because he could still not become too close.He would give the Moriyamas no ammunition.

Neil had put off being tailored for as long as possible, long enough that Allison came up to him one day and would not leave until he was fitted. He was nothing if not stubborn so Neil sat down on the floor and waited for someone to come and see what was going on, hopefully, Andrew. Andrew, who would either make Allison leave or enable her. Around three bells later, when Andrew found Neil, he did the latter.

 

* * *

 

 

Andrew found Neil laying on the floor with Allison sitting across from him looking less than happy. Well, this was interesting. He shut the door and Allison looked at Andrew, “Get this boy to let me fit his clothes or I will have Betsy hold all pastries until the Summit.”

That certainly tied Andrew’s hands except that, “What makes you think that I have any control over what Neil does, and you think Betsy will listen to you over me?” At Allison’s patented death stare, Andrew decided that he liked his life not being messed with by Allison.Neil already was giving Andrew enough problems. “Leave.”

Luckily for Allison, and unluckily for Neil, she left the room. “I’m taking a turn. What problem do you have with Allison making clothes for you?”

“I’m _fine._ I just don’t want to.”

“Oh really?”

Was it possible for a spy trained by the Moriyamas with incredible instincts who could kill or maim with a second’s notice to look sullen? “I don’t like being touched. Especially by people who I don’t trust. Or getting clothes that are tight. It feels like I’m back in the Nest at Nevermore. It never ends well. I’m not okay. I have...” Neil made some inarticulate hand gestures, “Scars.”

           It was not surprising, in fact, it was almost a given that Neil would have scars. Andrew saw some of the ones in Neil's arms, but knowing that there were more on his chest and back and upper arms made Andrew see red.

           “Would you rather Allison or a stranger? I can find you a tight long sleeved undershirt and you can put that on while Allison works on your clothes.  You have no clothes fit for a Summit and do you really think that Ichirou and Kengo would be happy if they say you disrespecting them even if no one is supposed to know who you are? Have you gotten word back about your letter to Kengo, should we get you fighting clothes?”

          “Fine, Allison can do it. I just got a letter today. I am to compete and after the Summit, I am supposed to leave. My cover will be blown, I will be too recognizable and I will be competing with my given name. Nathaniel Wesninski.”

 

/ */*/*/

Neil walked down the castle steps. He was in soft clothes, looser than they looked though still tighter than what he would normally wear. Absolutely nothing like what the Moriyamas would have him wear, Neil knew that Andrew must have talked to Allison.

He was walking down as Nathaniel Wesninski, someone who- if everything went as planned- Neil would never be again. The plan was meticulous.

Those who knew Neil well enough to recognize him would not say anything or react. Many of the leaders were already at the castle, and things were relatively calm. That is until the Moriyama House got there. Until Kengo was wheeled in and brought to his prepared rooms because he was so sick, he could not walk or stay awake longer than needed. Until the Master, Tetsuji walked in. Until the man walked in who was featured in more nightmares than his father, the man in charge of his training-Riko. Riko Moriyama was here, at the place Neil had come to call home.

 

/*/*/*/

When Riko walked in, the world came crashing to a stop. Neil thought he had stopped breathing, he knew he had stopped moving. Gods Damn, did Neil- no it was Nathaniel who knew Riko- get more scared, become more of a runner, more powerless the longer that he was away. Had he really been this paralyzed before?

No, he couldn’t have. Neil had things to live for now. Things he cared about- people who he cared about. Ten days. That’s how much longer Neil had before he was either free- or dead. If he wasn’t free, well, he would be Nathaniel from then on out and he would wish that he were dead.

Andrew appeared behind him maybe it had been a bad idea for Neil to train Andrew what he knew and reached out to hold the back of Neil’s neck.

“Breathe, Rabbit.” With the weight grounding Neil, he took a breath. “Remember the day you jumped out of the tower window? And you got away with no injuries? Even though that bastard trained you, he did not break you.” That was the day Neil, had actually thought of not belonging to the Moriyamas, not that he could have ever imagined what had happened since.

 

 _There were some days that_ Nathaniel _was not been let out of his_ _and Jean’s_ _room. He had tried to run- it had been a very bad idea. There was a saying that Nathaniel’s mother had told him: Noli timere- Do not be afraid._

_Noli timere, those words had meant the difference from breaking and bending, in the darkness of the Nest. He would not be afraid._

_Jean was on a mission and Neil was unable to get up without pulling the poorly-made stitches. The cuts and stabs he had gotten after being caught running_ _Stitches were hard to put on yourself_ _._

_The door opened- Jean was not supposed to be back yet. Who was there?_

_“Hello, Nathaniel.” The man said- Riko. “You were not at training today. Why? Oh no, are you sick? That is not an excuse, is it?” Riko took the knife from behind his back and made a slice on Nathaniel’s chest. Nathaniel did not scream or plead- he knew that doing those would only make it worse. “Nathaniel, that fire in your eyes will be put out when I am through with you. You belong to me, and have no power- if you ever try to move against me you will wish you were dead. I will keep you alive until the day you break down pleading for me to kill you. Even then I will only end it when, no if I decide to. Do not try to run again.” With that, Riko stopped talking- too focused on cutting Nathaniel up into small pieces. Along with his hope._

_When Jean got back months later, Nathaniel was still unable to get out of bed. He had only been allowed enough food and water needed to survive. “Noli timere, Nathaniel. We will get away someday. He will not break us._

  


No, Riko had not broken Nathaniel and he would not break Neil.

After Neil’s panic when he saw Riko, things went according to plan. Jean had come, though with the Little Master, and it was nice knowing that he was safe for the time being. Somehow Kevin, Andrew, and Neil would figure out a way to get Jean free. Riko called upon Nathaniel many times in the following couple of days, with no pattern as to when. Sushenka Kengo was dying of sickness- and Riko tended to take any emotion out on Nathaniel and Jean. While having to fight with the Moriyamas and against Kevin or Andrew for real was unpleasant, fighting alongside Jean in the partnered matches was refreshing. Nathaniel had missed Jean, but fighting with him gave Nathaniel a sense of closure- now Nathaniel’s and Neil’s personalities seemed closer together, more like the same person, more merged, more _real_ than before.

The Nevermore team, the Ravens and the Fuchs Kingdom’s team the Foxes were the in the final round at the end of the week. In the following week, the leaders of the Five Alliance Pact would be meeting. So far, everything was going according to plan.

 

/*/*/*/

 

The night after the Semi-finals, Riko had told Neil to sleep as much as he could so they could win- the consequences of not would be, to say the least, very bad. Andrew thought that really, things were going too well- they would probably start having problems soon because life just liked to knock Andrew down and roll him over with a bolder.

Andrew sat across from Neil as they read in silence, a thing they had started doing partially because a good book was the only thing that made Neil shut up for a bit about sparring.

No one, not even Andrew deserved to have to listen to that all the time. Matt burst into the room, the look on his face was priceless- Andrew reading holding Neil’s hand- was not a usual thing. Wait- when did Andrew start holding Neil’s hand. Gods he was getting soft!

Out of breath, Matt panted, “It’s Kengo.” Neil shot ramrod straight. “He’s dead.” A glassy look took over the Rabbit’s blue eyes. A panicked look no, not that- a look of pure terror.

“Jean,” He whispered. “Where is Jean? Get him away from Riko. He is not safe.”

 

As Neil had said, Jean was not safe. By the time Kevin’s guard, including Renee and Andrew, had gotten to Riko’s rooms Jean was a bloody mess. The pale man had long lost consciousness due to blood loss. Another castle guard, Jeremy, pushed the crazed man off of the almost dead friend of Neil’s.

Riko had definitely broken the alliance so Andrew and Kevin were perfectly within their rights of throwing him into a cell to rot. Maybe Kevin would let Andrew kill Riko, as the man had hurt Neil for years. If this was what Neil had gone through, then he was probably the strongest person Andrew knew, and that was saying a lot. Neil had never broken and Andrew was helping him face the Rabbit’s demon- Riko. No wonder he was a rabbit, running away from problems had probably been the way to stay safest.

 

* * *

 

 

The end of the tournament was canceled. It was canceled because there were many things to discuss. Such as the Moriyama’s breaking of the Five Alliance Pact. In the end, Ichirou had managed to convince the other Countries to stay in, so long as there were no more transgressions. This was only possible because Kevin and Andrew backed what they were saying. Knowledge from their inside source- Neil- who told the other leaders what had happened in Castle Nevermore. Of course, Neil said that Ichirou and Kengo had no idea of what transpired there because Tetsuji and Riko lied and bribed and threatened.

Neil’s testament had come at a price. The price of his, and Jean’s, freedom.

He was free, no one would hurt him, and he had friends-plural, and he had a family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's it! I *really* hope that you liked it!!!

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and Kudos? If you liked it?  
> My writing tumblr is howmanyshipscanashippership and my anything tumblr is me-theaceupmysleeve  
> Ilheji's is Ilheji  
> Lilly's is instantseokjin


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